


Long Distance

by Gojira007



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Comic), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:08:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29845431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gojira007/pseuds/Gojira007
Summary: Since going into quarantine, Sally's days have become fairly monotonous.  But there's at least one part of her routine she still looks forward to.
Relationships: Sally Acorn/Sonic the Hedgehog
Kudos: 3
Collections: Sonic, Sonic Fanfics, Sonic SatAM/Sonic Archie





	Long Distance

It was the same way every time.

Sally would wake up, throw the quilt off, and hop out of bed. She’d check NICOLE to make sure of the time (9:30 A.M., right on schedule), stretch a bit, then get to exercises. Push-ups, crunches, sit-ups, twenty-five each. A warm shower afterwards. It was all exactly the same this morning as it had been every morning for…

“Huh. NICOLE, how long _have_ we been in quarantine at this point?”

The small computer’s screen blinked to life at the squirrel’s command, its bright light projecting outward and forming into a familiar lynx. “Exactly two months, three weeks, five days, and twelve hours, Sally,” NICOLE said matter-of-factly. 

Sally had to chuckle a bit at that. “How the time flies,” she said as she finished drying herself off.

Hang the towel up, throw on a vest (overdue to be washed, Sally noted to herself), move to the small kitchen. At this point, each step was so familiar she barely had to think about any of them, which was good given how she never seemed to wake up feeling rested anymore. “Any news from the front lines?” the princess asked, fighting down a yawn as she pulled out a bowl from the counter drawer, filling it with a handful of acorns (a treat she always made sure to very carefully ration).

NICOLE gave the expected answer. “The situation is still in flux. The bio-agent contaminating the area remains unidentified; safely collecting sufficiently stable samples continues to prove difficult. Resistance toward the ongoing Quarantine measures seems to be growing, but the majority of citizens continue to comply.”

Sally found her gaze drifting away from her breakfast and toward the window…toward the hazy red sky, stretching out across the horizon. There were minor variations sometimes, but NICOLE’s report had been the same, day in and day out, for almost as long as Sally had been asking her to tell it. Simply not asking wasn’t an option; the princess had a responsibility to know. But each time the cycle repeated, the sky seemed to stretch out just a bit further. Her world felt just a bit smaller. In the back of her mind, a familiar sensation, almost like a memory, crept through her thoughts. 

_Why?_

Just as her feelings began to tangle around that word, however, a beeping noise from NICOLE caught her attention. “It’s time, Sally,” the holographic lynx said.

Immediately, Sally’s ears perked up. Taking one last bite out of her snack, she hopped out of the kitchen and took NICOLE’s console in hand, eagerly pressing the necessary buttons. NICOLE’s monitor responded, filling with static that soon coalesced into a single white screen. “Connection established,” NICOLE said, floating next to Sally. “Receiving transmission in three…two…one.”

Yes, this too was part of the routine. But unlike the rest of it, this piece Sally looked forward to.

“Hey Sal.”

A flicker of tell-tale mischief in his distinctive green eyes, a mixture of mirth and warmth in his smile, Sonic the hedgehog now looked back at Sally through the console’s monitor. “Hey there yourself,” Sally replied with a little laugh. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You say that like we didn’t talk just yesterday,” Sonic said, his smirk growing just a bit wider. “And the day before that…”

“And the day before that, and the day before _that_ ,” Sally carried on for him, laughing again, “and on and on it goes. But even so.”

“Even so.” The hedgehog’s voice grew just a touch softer. “’S’good t’see you too.”

“How are you doing today? Managing your Cabin Fever OK?”

“’OK’ is probably oversellin’ it; my legs’re _aching_ for a _real_ run, but obviously that’s still a No Go around here. That new exercise Rotor showed me helps a bit, though. How ‘bout you?”

“I can’t complain _too_ much. It’s been a _great_ chance to catch up on my reading, if nothing else; I finally finished _The Count of Dresdin_ last night, in fact. Can’t say I’m _as_ enthused by it as Antoine, but I see the appeal, at least.”

“Oh wow, I remember that one. Makin’ it all the way through _that_ doorstop _is_ one heck of an achievement, Sal.”

“And just think, I even managed to pull it off _without_ somebody offering up their own commentary while reading it over my shoulder!”

That got an exaggerated scoff from Sonic. “Neeks!” he said with mock-offense. “Have you been slackin’ off on me?”

NICOLE gave him a knowing smile. “I’m afraid my own efforts proved a pale imitation when compared to those of The Master.”

Sonic bowed so dramatically that his head tapped into the screen, and Sally had to giggle as his image shook just a bit. “Well when you put it _that_ way, all is forgiven,” he said.

The lynx gave a bow of her own. “Most appreciated, O humblest of ‘hogs,” she said. “Anyway, it’s about time I give everyone else their daily check-up. You two enjoy yourselves.”

Sonic and Sally both waved goodbye to the lynx as she quickly dissipated in a soft flurry of glowing pixels. “We really are lucky to have her around,” the princess said fondly, eyes lingering on where NICOLE had been. “It’d be almost impossible to keep the quarantine going on this end half as effectively without her.”

“Plus, it means _you_ have some actual in-person company,” Sonic replied, leaning back a bit. “Don’t get me wrong, I love our little chats, but it isn’t quite the same when I can’t be _with you-_ with you, y’know?”

Immediately, Sally’s focus returned to the monitor. “’Our little chats’ are one of _the_ things keeping me _sane_ right now,” she quickly replied. “I’m grateful for NICOLE’s company too, but this…just getting this little time together with you…it means a _lot_ to me.”

The hedgehog’s smile softened a bit as he leaned in a bit closer. “Hey, the feeling’s mutual, Sal. It’s just…” He cut himself off with a hum before leaning back again. Sally watched carefully as he mouthed something to himself, gaze drifting to his own hands as they gestured vaguely about; the squirrel recognized it as one of the techniques they’d worked on together to put his feelings into words, a way to leverage his impulsive nature so that he didn’t simply blurt things out before he was able to properly articulate them. “When I’m there, _with you_ -with you,” Sonic resumed, hands going still and his eyes meeting Sally’s again, “it just feels like I can _do_ more, y’know? And ‘cuz I _can’t_ right now, ‘cuz of all…this,” he motioned around himself, “…I guess I worry ‘bout what I’m missin’.”

That got a little laugh out of the princess. “I promise, not much,” she said. “It’s honestly probably even duller _here_ than it is where you are.”

“Is that why you’re havin’ so much trouble sleepin’?”

Sally sat up just a bit straighter. “…what makes you think that?” she asked cautiously.

Sonic’s smile did not falter, but Sally could see the sadness in it now…the worry. “Your voice,” he replied. “It’s got that sound to it like you stayed up all night plannin’ a mission you think is gonna go bad, y’know? A little thinner, a little flatter.” The squirrel squared her shoulders, snout scrunching up a bit, prompting him to add, “I noticed ‘bout a week ago. I thought maybe it was just the new scenery getting’ you down, didn’t wanna make a big deal out of it, but it’s only gotten worse since then.”

Sally briefly considered denying it, but looking at Sonic’s eyes, seeing the concern and the conviction in his gaze, told her it was pointless. “…it… _has_ been a problem, I admit,” she said instead, ears folding down. “It’s not like I’m getting _no_ sleep or anything like that, it’s just…” The princess cut herself off with a gruff sigh, rubbing her arm and looking away. 

“’S’OK, Sal,” Sonic said softly. “Tell me or don’t tell me, I understand, but…whatever it is, I promise…it’s OK.”

“…do you remember, those first nights we spent in Knothole?” she finally whispered.

Sonic nodded knowingly. “You could barely get a wink for how bad your dreams were.”

“Since the quarantine started, I’ve been having…well, they’re not the _same_ nightmares, exactly. The images are different. But they _feel_ the same.” She looked down at her hands, opening and closing them as that feeling almost like a memory returned. That one word tangling up her thoughts again. “Fire and smoke, darkness and thunder…voices, all crying out. All asking me _why_.”

She went silent, staring at her open palms, the images feeling fresh again as she described them. “Why what?” Sonic’s voice, strong but understanding, managed to recapture her attention. 

“Why _me_?” Sally answered, looking back up at him with renewed focus. “Why am I _here_ , safe and sound, while others are suffering, and I can’t do anything to make it _stop_?”

Her words had a clear impact; Sonic’s smile wilted quickly into a frown, his whole posture going just a touch slack. But soon, his hands were moving a bit again, and after mouthing something Sally couldn’t quite make out, he replied, “…y’know, Tails was askin’ about you the other day.”

“…oh…?”

“Yeah, he said he had this new trick Bunnie taught him that he really wants t’show ya. I told him he oughta get in on one of these calls some time, but I think he’s still a little embarrassed ‘bout how it went the last time he tried.”

In spite of herself, Sally had to laugh just a little. “I remember,” she said. “The microphone incident.”

“Right,” Sonic chuckled right back. “Point is, though, he’s doin’ pretty good for himself over here, ‘n’ I’m really grateful for that. It helps make all this a bit easier, knowin’ that he’s still safe.”

“Yeah…yeah, it does.”

The hedgehog’s smile returned immediately. “And that’s true for you too, Sal. Knowin’ _you’re_ still safe…it helps _us_ be a bit more OK too.” The hedgehog reached out to the console. “I know it’s not much,” he said, “’n’ I know it doesn’t change the way things are. But…it’s still something. Something _really_ important.”

The squirrel breathed out a little, also putting her hand to the computer. “I understand,” she said warmly.

Both recoiled slightly, however, as the monitor’s image briefly flickered, streaks of static running across it. “Ah crud, looks like the signal’s goin’ again,” Sonic grumbled.

“NICOLE’s check-ups must be getting a bit busier,” Sally sighed. “I should probably let you go at this point anyway.”

Sonic leaned in a little, though it was a bit hard to tell how closely as the image grew increasingly unstable. “What about you?” he asked, and even as his voice grew increasingly distorted the care in his tone was clear.

“I think…I’ll be a bit better, yeah,” she answered. “Like I said, having this time with you…it helps. Each and every day.”

“Even though I’m not with you-with you?”

“Even then.”

She gave a small but sincere smile, flashing a “V” sign to the screen before gently pressing the two fingers to the monitor. “We’ll talk more tomorrow, OK?”

Sonic mirrored her gesture, winking at her. “It’s a date.”

“Love you, Sonic.”

“Love you too, Sal.”

And then the screen went black.

Sally sat still and silent for a few seconds, taking a slow, steady breath. Then she closed the console, picking it up and placing it in the closet to wait for tomorrow. “Tomorrow…” Sally whispered to herself.

She did not know how many more tomorrows like this were still to come. But she took heart in knowing that she was not alone. That there were people out there she loved, and who loved her. And together, day by day, they would make it through.

It was the same way every time.

**Author's Note:**

> So last year, at the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic in America, a group of Sonic fans got together to make a zine called "Stay Home With Sonic" (https://stayhomesonic.tumblr.com/), themed around the idea of Sonic characters going through a Stay At Home situation of their own. My own contribution, made with help from my Tumblr friends (two of whom made contributions to the Zine of their own, which you can read here: https://bunnikkila-draws.tumblr.com/post/644739744947978240/so-hey-this-is-a-write-not-a-draw-but-it-is and here: https://sally-mun.tumblr.com/post/644519577067339776/hey-howdy-hey-so-this-is-one-of-the-zines-i ), wound up being based more than a little in my own experiences from the early days of the Pandemic. I hope you all get something out if too.


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